Fighting IF On 05/28/2008
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Oocyte-specific gene mutations cause premature ovarian failure
“We hope to use the information from this study and others that identify genes associated with this problem to find biomarkers in blood that can help us determine a woman’s risk of early infertility,” said Dr. Aleksandar Rajkovic, associate professor of obstetrics and gynecology at BCM and senior author of the paper. Premature ovarian failure, which means that the ovaries lose function before age 40, not only causes infertility but also bone and heart problems, he said.
“It affects 1 percent of women,” he said. “While most people associate it with infertility, women with premature ovarian failure face an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, osteoporosis and premature death. Ovarian reserves are important for women’s health.”
In looking for genes that cause the disorder, Rajkovic and his colleagues here and in China concentrated on those that are most likely to function in the ovary. A gene mutation does not totally halt gene activity, but Rajkovic believes it can accelerate the loss of eggs (or germ cells). When all the eggs are lost, the ovaries stop producing estrogen, leading to menopause symptoms.
In this study, Rajkovic and his collaborators screened 100 Chinese women with premature ovarian failure for mutations in FIGLA and found three different kinds of mutations in the FIGLA genes of four.
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A study published in the Malta Medical Journal shows that the unregulated and completely privatised administration of infertility treatment has led to an increase in the birth of triplets and quadruplets, a greater health risk to newborns.
The article, “Higher order multiple pregnancy outcomes in the Maltese islands 2000-2004”, published last March, is a wake-up call for action in a field which successive governments have left unregulated.
Reproductive technology, which includes the use of fertility pills and in vitro fertilisation, only accounts for 0.7% of single births. But the same methods were used in 28% of cases involving triplets and 50% of cases involving quadruplets.
The birth of triplets and quadruplets is considered by the medical profession as more prone to health risks due to the greater likelihood that these children will be born prematurely.
Charles Savona Ventura an associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery and one of the authors of the study believes that the state should start offering infertility treatments in the national health scheme.
One reason for state intervention in this sector is affordability.
“The problem I see is that hi-tech management of infertility in Malta is only available to those who can pay or are ready to make tremendous sacrifices to pay the costs of treatment.”
Savona Ventura is concerned by the psychological impact on these parents.
“Infertile couples are so desperate that they are ready to undertake extreme sacrifices to try and achieve a pregnancy. This can result in further stresses in their relationships.”
One justification for a national programme to assist infertile couples is to “enable the low-moderate income groups to avail themselves of hi-tech options when necessary.”
Surely prices are high because both medicines and equipment are expensive.
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